Sentinel
Title: Sentinel
Author:
lokifan
Word count: ~200
Characters/pairings: Minerva/Hooch
Rating: Universal
Summary: Christmas Eve during Deathly Hallows.
Warnings: None
Author’s Notes: This is my fourth Twelve Days of Christmas drabble ficlet, for kellychambliss, who requested ‘Minerva/Hooch, Christmas Eve.’
Minerva felt the presence behind her before she heard it. Her muscles tensed, but then she smelt the inevitable grass stains under no-nonsense soap and let herself relax. Xiomara came up behind her where she stood at the bannister, watching the Great Hall below; Minerva could almost feel her warmth through their winter robes.
“Come to bed,” Xiomara said, her usual brisk tones softened by tiredness.
“Not yet. Sev -- the Headmaster isn’t back yet. I want to know he’s in his office.”
“Filius is on duty now. He’ll make sure nothing untoward happens.”
A pause. Minerva didn’t quite manage to unwrap her fingers from the bannister. “I know.”
Xiomara said quietly, “the students have gone home, almost all of them. And he’s not been very successful at catching the Army in the act.”
“I know,” Minerva said on a breath. She felt sometimes that she was becoming one of the gargoyles from Hogwarts’ Gothic edifice: calcifying into a stolid, eternal guard. One just as mute and helpless.
Midnight arrived on quiet chimes sounding in the dark air.
“Happy Christmas,” said Minerva quietly. She kissed Xiomara on the cheek.
“Happy Christmas. I suppose now’s the time to hope for a special child, and light in the darkness.”
She raised a sardonic eyebrow, and found a smile. “We’ve been lucky before.”
This was originally posted at http://lokifan.dreamwidth.org/350524.html. Comment wherever you like :)
Author:
lokifan
Word count: ~200
Characters/pairings: Minerva/Hooch
Rating: Universal
Summary: Christmas Eve during Deathly Hallows.
Warnings: None
Author’s Notes: This is my fourth Twelve Days of Christmas drabble ficlet, for kellychambliss, who requested ‘Minerva/Hooch, Christmas Eve.’
Minerva felt the presence behind her before she heard it. Her muscles tensed, but then she smelt the inevitable grass stains under no-nonsense soap and let herself relax. Xiomara came up behind her where she stood at the bannister, watching the Great Hall below; Minerva could almost feel her warmth through their winter robes.
“Come to bed,” Xiomara said, her usual brisk tones softened by tiredness.
“Not yet. Sev -- the Headmaster isn’t back yet. I want to know he’s in his office.”
“Filius is on duty now. He’ll make sure nothing untoward happens.”
A pause. Minerva didn’t quite manage to unwrap her fingers from the bannister. “I know.”
Xiomara said quietly, “the students have gone home, almost all of them. And he’s not been very successful at catching the Army in the act.”
“I know,” Minerva said on a breath. She felt sometimes that she was becoming one of the gargoyles from Hogwarts’ Gothic edifice: calcifying into a stolid, eternal guard. One just as mute and helpless.
Midnight arrived on quiet chimes sounding in the dark air.
“Happy Christmas,” said Minerva quietly. She kissed Xiomara on the cheek.
“Happy Christmas. I suppose now’s the time to hope for a special child, and light in the darkness.”
She raised a sardonic eyebrow, and found a smile. “We’ve been lucky before.”
This was originally posted at http://lokifan.dreamwidth.org/350524.html. Comment wherever you like :)